Canada's Migration Timeline 2024

The year 2024 was a sea of immigration developments in Canada with a host of changes affecting foreign workers and international students. Restrictions on open work permits for spouses or partners were implemented, there were new eligibility criteria for the Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), the end of flagpoling and many more measures that set a trend of unexpected events for temporary residents, new visa applicants, and even for the very same regulated consultants and Canadian lawyers, who we were called upon to take on the role of immigration consultants and lawyers in Canada, even for the Canadian regulated consultants and lawyers themselves, who had to assume a decisive role in guiding and advising both clients and users on social platforms, in order to help them understand the new regulations and ensure that each step of their immigration process was carried out in a legal and efficient manner. 

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Today, on the Immiland blog, we offer a migration chronology of what 2024 was like in Canada. Join me in reading to learn about the immigration precedents that will determine how you plan your Canadian goal this 2025. Let's begin.

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Significant events from January to December 2024

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In a complex chronological order, given the number of announcements, implementation and cessation of measures that have occurred, the most important events that marked Canada's migration dynamics in 2024 are presented below. 

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January:

• Increased the threshold for international student cost of living to CAD 20,635 (double from 2023). Canadian Members of Parliament unveiled urgent reforms to the International Student Program. Changes were announced for study permits in Quebec. Minister Marc Miller unveiled three main measures regarding the two-year time limit on new international student permits, provincial attestation requirement for study permits, and changes to post-graduation work permits and open work permits for spouses. 

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February:

• New change came into effect to make graduates of master's degrees with a duration of less than two years eligible for a three-year PGWP. Only graduates of post-secondary programs in key sectors such as health, STEM and skilled trades are eligible. There were changes to the eTa and visitor visas for Mexican citizens traveling to Canada.

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March:

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• A new Alberta Advantage Program option was opened for the tourism and hospitality sector. Announced the launch of two innovative immigration pilots targeting rural and francophone communities. Reforms were made to the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process, suspension of applications in areas with high unemployment and stricter requirements to verify the legitimacy of employers.

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April:

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• The 2024 budget was presented with strong measures aimed at building more housing. The government introduced a cap to reduce the proportion of temporary residents to 5% of the total population by 2025. This included international students and temporary workers.

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May:

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• IRCC introduced new rules on off-campus work hours to 20 hours per week. Ended policy allowing visitors to apply for work permits without leaving Canada. Enacted measure for university programs with public-private curricular agreement that will not be eligible for the PGWP. Increased the minimum wage in Quebec to CAD 15.75 per hour. The government worked on a legislative introduction (Bill C-71) to make the citizenship process as fair and transparent as possible.

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June:

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• The application(flagpoling) of the PGWP from a port of entry was prohibited. There were changes in Quebec immigration with significant reforms to regulate the admission of immigrants and their integration into society, driven by unique demographic and cultural factors. IRCC worked to establish the Rural and Northern Canada Immigration Pilot as a permanent program.

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July:

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• IRCC proposed to do a strict tracking for international students in Canada. It was evident that category invitations dominated Express Entry. Work permits for spouses of international students introduced new regulations to make it easier to obtain them.

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August:

• Ontario added 35 in-demand occupations under the OINP. Policies to reduce Canada's temporary foreign worker levels were stepped up and the public policy allowing temporary residents to apply for work permits from Canada was ended. Minister Boissonnault announced measures to safeguard temporary foreign workers and to curb fraud and misuse of Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program by some employers. Ottawa made decisions on the denial of immigration plans for undocumented workers in Canada. Finalized the rural and northern immigration pilot program.

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September: 

• There were reduction and changes for the study permit and PGWP in Canada. IRCC announced that it will issue 437,000 study permits in 2025. Master's and PhD students must apply for a Provincial Letter of Certification (PAL); university graduates applying after November 1, 2024 had to demonstrate a CLB 7 language level and college graduates a CLB 5. Less chance of obtaining a work permit for spouses of master's students whose program of study lasts at least 16 months.

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October:

• Quebec suspended applications for permanent residence (PR) under the Quebec Graduates component of the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) and announced the temporary suspension of two major economic immigration programs: the Regular Skilled Worker Program (ARRIMA) and the Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ).

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November:

• Changes to eligibility for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) went into effect. The government announced changes to new visa applications and extensions and officers will now be able to choose the time and number of entries into the country for tourist visas. New Brunswick stopped accepting and processing Employer Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the remainder of the year through the New Brunswick Atlantic Immigration Program and the New Brunswick Private Career College Graduate Pilot suspended the issuance of new nomination certificates for the remainder of the year, as both reached the limit of allocations.
• The British Columbia government made important changes to the permanent residency program affecting international college students in post-secondary and graduate programs. Stricter French language criteria were implemented for PEQ graduates and the Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ) was implemented, replacing the former Regular Skilled Worker Program (PRTQ). Ontario closed the Entrepreneurship Program. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) closed the Student Direct Stream program. Reduced the annual permanent resident admission target to 395,000 in 2025 and 365,000 in 2027.

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December:

• IRCC eliminated the 50 to 200 points per job offer in the Express Entry system. Introduced higher application and processing fees for various types of visas and permits. Ended the temporary policy for work permits opened by PNP. 

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At Immiland, we are here to keep you informed and advise you in your immigration process. We expect significant developments in the new year 2025, so we invite you to stay updated. If you would like to schedule an immigration appointment with our CICC regulated team, click here and we will be happy to assist you.

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Thanks for reading, see you in a future blog! 

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With love,

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Immiland